Lionel Messi and Pep Gaurdiola were a match made in heaven at Barcelona. Suffice it to say, Messi broke into Barcelona first team in 2004, won the La Liga in 2004 and 2005 with the team but needed the touch of Pep Guardiola to rose to the summit of his club career.
Pep Guardiola previously managed Barcelona feather team before he was promoted to the club's first team manager in 2008.
On his debut season as Barcelona first team manager, Guardiola ruled the La Liga and dominated Europe, winning a historic treble for Barcelona in 2009.
Lionel Messi was the center of gravity of Pep Guardiola's dominant treble-winning Barcelona squad. Regarded as the father of tikitaka football, Guardiola built the team around young Leo, then a promising 22-year-old.
Messi emerged as Champions League topscorer with 9 goals for Barcelona that season and scored 23 La Liga goals for the club. It was a great season for the Argentine, and he went ahead to win his first ever Ballon d'Or after the treble with Barcelona.
After winning his first Ballon d'Or, Messi went on to win four of the coveted football award successively in 2010, 2011, and 2012 while Pep Guardiola was at Barcelona.
After Gaurdiola left Barcelona, Messi waited three more years before winning his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015.
Messi and Pep Guardiola have enormous respect for each other but it appeared they shared no love combustion after Gaurdiola left Barcelona in 2012.
They were still in good terms after Guardiola's Barcelona exit, but a new book titled 'God Save Pep' by Mati Perarnau revealed Guardiola turned down a chance for Messi to join Manchester City in 2020.
According to Perarnau, Messi, who was falling out with Barcelona hierarchy in 2020, wanted to join Manchester City as his next destination.
He reportedly had discussions with Pep Guardiola facilitated by his Argentina teammate Sergio Aguero but the Spaniard turned him down.
The report adds Guardiola did not turn down Lionel Messi out of malice but was concerned how he will fit into the Premier League as he had clocked 33 by then.
Manchester City later went on to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for a record £100m while Messi was to later move to PSG in 2021 after he tearfully left Barcelona.
Should Messi have joined Manchester City in 2020, it is believed that would have changed his career trajectory immensely as he would have worked with his former boss who understood and groomed him at Barcelona.
Messi fell out with PSG after two years and was to sanction a shock move to Inter Miami in MLS where he is currently plying nhis trade.
Pep Guardiola previously managed Barcelona feather team before he was promoted to the club's first team manager in 2008.
On his debut season as Barcelona first team manager, Guardiola ruled the La Liga and dominated Europe, winning a historic treble for Barcelona in 2009.
Lionel Messi was the center of gravity of Pep Guardiola's dominant treble-winning Barcelona squad. Regarded as the father of tikitaka football, Guardiola built the team around young Leo, then a promising 22-year-old.
Messi emerged as Champions League topscorer with 9 goals for Barcelona that season and scored 23 La Liga goals for the club. It was a great season for the Argentine, and he went ahead to win his first ever Ballon d'Or after the treble with Barcelona.
After winning his first Ballon d'Or, Messi went on to win four of the coveted football award successively in 2010, 2011, and 2012 while Pep Guardiola was at Barcelona.
After Gaurdiola left Barcelona, Messi waited three more years before winning his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015.
Messi and Pep Guardiola have enormous respect for each other but it appeared they shared no love combustion after Gaurdiola left Barcelona in 2012.
They were still in good terms after Guardiola's Barcelona exit, but a new book titled 'God Save Pep' by Mati Perarnau revealed Guardiola turned down a chance for Messi to join Manchester City in 2020.
According to Perarnau, Messi, who was falling out with Barcelona hierarchy in 2020, wanted to join Manchester City as his next destination.
He reportedly had discussions with Pep Guardiola facilitated by his Argentina teammate Sergio Aguero but the Spaniard turned him down.
The report adds Guardiola did not turn down Lionel Messi out of malice but was concerned how he will fit into the Premier League as he had clocked 33 by then.
Manchester City later went on to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for a record £100m while Messi was to later move to PSG in 2021 after he tearfully left Barcelona.
Should Messi have joined Manchester City in 2020, it is believed that would have changed his career trajectory immensely as he would have worked with his former boss who understood and groomed him at Barcelona.
Messi fell out with PSG after two years and was to sanction a shock move to Inter Miami in MLS where he is currently plying nhis trade.